IPFW hosts "Take Back The Night" to raise awareness of violence against women

Men Needed in Fight Against Rape and Sexual Violence (VIDEO)

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (www.incnow.tv) – What would you march a half-mile in the cold for? IPFW students and marched to "Take Back the Night" against sexual abuse and violence toward women, and learned it isn't just a women's issue.

IPFW students marched to "Take Back the Night" against rape and sexual violence against women Wednesday night.

"About one in every five women during their college careers will be sexually assaulted, and I think that's something we need to address. While it might seem like a low statistic, there's still women out there being affected by it and there are people on this campus that have been sexually assaulted and are too afraid to report it,” said Cailynn Smith, President of Campus Feminism and Solidarity.

But, Elka Jackson with the Center for Nonviolence says, about 10 percent of men have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and that it's not just a women's issue.

"Rape is a problem of men who rape, who grow up in a culture that tells them it is ok to become sexually oppressive to women and to LGBTQ people and even to other men,” said Jackson.

"It's absolutely true,” said student and staff member Brian Jackson, who was the only man present at the event. We are responsible. It's our actions. We are responsible for our own actions."

And off they went, marching a half mile through IPFW's campus, holding signs and yelling chants in protest.

"We're actually talking about a cause that needs to be spread, and in the long run it could help someone who is listening to us,” said attendee Victoria Hardy.

Jackson says listening is just one step in helping end the problem.

"We need men in this work to help us solve it. Another way that men can be active is to simply be accountable. Hold themselves, hold each other accountable for the beliefs that men have about women, for the beliefs men have about violence, and for the beliefs men hold about rape, and what is ok and not ok to do to women's bodies,” she said.

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